Libs’ ‘Job Plan’ not enough to tackle poverty, Trish Garner, The Province, Dec 2012
…B.C. has the largest gap between the rich and the poor, and the highest poverty rate in Canada. Over half-a-million British Columbians live below the poverty line, and most of them have a job, sometimes several, in the paid labour force.
…In the last 10 years the average household income of the top one per cent in B.C. has increased by 36 per cent while, for the rest of us, real median incomes have stagnated, even though we’re working harder…
Here’s an example of how the BC Government has steadily increased the tax burden on middle class citizens. During the period that the province’s revenue from natural resources fell 32% and the Consumer Price Index rose by 20%, premiums for medical services increased 108%.
Sources: CPI rate of change according to Statistics Canada, MSP revenue 2000-2012 from BC annual Public Accounts, MSP revenue estimates 2013-2015 from the 2012 budget documents.
Categories: BC Liberals, Income Inequality
in-sights.ca 
Thank you Scotty for a common sense approach and a great post. We have to vote NDP or chance splitting the vote in some ridings. If it was close Lib/NDP vote in your riding in the last election then it really matters.
LikeLike
The only problem is that we don't need another legislature with nearly every member on the government side. That almost guarantees bad government. However, Dix promises cautious movement. I hope he commits to giving individual MLA's freedom to represent their constituents appropriately.
LikeLike
“Choose the opposition party that suits your needs” implies the obvious fact that we first have to put out the BC Liberal house fire before we set about fixing the place up. Given that greater need, we have to realize the opposition we support needs to be the one most likely to get this job done, not necessarily the one we'd like to have. A compromise of principle? Perhaps, but, hey, this is an emergency; what good are the principles if the house burns down? So, without further beating about the shrubs, if you think it's important to get rid of this BC Liberal government, you should vote NDP, not Green. If even half the Green vote had gone NDP instead, the last two pairs of provincial and federal elections would have been quite different. This is particularly true in BC and especially true in my own riding. I note that many, if not most Green supporters are erstwhile NDPers; yet by splitting the anti-neo-right vote, we succeeded in electing governments completely antithetical to environmental responsibility.
If it's any consolation, the NDP's environmental policy is pretty darn good and not much different than the Greens'. You don't have to join the party to make a difference (although the NDP is very democratic in policy making) but you do have to vote.
The best way to ensure the BC Liberals lose is to vote NDP, not Green.
LikeLike
Most citizens are not engaged politically so we can't say the system has failed completely until we become involved and try for the necessary changes. In a few months, British Columbia has a chance to send the current managers to disgraced retirement. Let's take the opportunity to convince our fellow citizens to wake up and pay attention. Then, we'll be successful in making change.
Choose the opposition party that suits your needs. Now, write a cheque to help them tell their story. The BC Liberals have millions from businesses that reap billions in return but the other parties need our help.
LikeLike
The “unrest” is already here, and has been simmering for some time. “Idle No More” is in the fore front, and may become the catalyst for change that the “Occupy Movement”, could not. “Grass roots” political change, utilizing these populist movements will change the political landscape. The domination of our political process, by “Old School”, parties and their “well known tactics”, will come to an end.
The “dummying down” of the electorate, using the media, is failing, simply because of the “belief” factor. The MSM have failed, to provide non biased information, to the public. Without integrity or accountability, the current political structure is nothing more than a corrupt method, of manipulating public resources, opinion and ultimatley influnence, to ensure that the status quo, of corruption and malfeasance is maintained.
The public has simply had enough of it.
To move forward with a concerted effort, to change and remove the corruption will require, confrontation of the “old regime” structure. Much can be done through informative discussion and peaceful protest, albeit mass protest, to begin the road to change. This can provide the taking back of our institutions, our public resources and ultimately achieve a new system of integrity and accountability. Checks and balances must be put in place to prevent, corruption and malfeasance, and the opportunities for deception. The Quebec Anti-corruption Commission coupled with proceeds of crime legislation is a good start, but further refinement and enhancement of existing, Lobbyist, financial and regulatory legislation, and other “psudo-political” laws and statutes, must occur.
Ultimatley the sytem must have some sort of non-aligned or non political oversight. The current “regimes” show us that they simply cannot “police” themselves. The “temptation”, and “ego driven mentality”, by many people in office, is simply too overwhelming. Sociopathic tendencies in candidates, are sought after, by political backroom hacks, to enhance the control factor, by those “pulling the strings”, behind the scenes. We see it time and time again.
To my fellow bloggers..Happy New Year, and all the best for 2013.
A special thanks to Norm, AGT, and all the other blog site writers, for allowing the “democratic voice” to be heard “loud and clear”. Change has to start with a question. This and other blogs are providing a great forum for the answers.
Yes…we can make a difference, and the change has already started.
LikeLike
But, but, but…we have the lowest personal income tax in Canada! How can that be? (smirk)
LikeLike
Great idea!
LikeLike
I had a thought today. (Pretty amazing, huh?)
As a New Year's resolution, I am going to make little print-outs of the web addresses of my favourite BC political bloggers. I'll tack them on community posting-walls, leave them in coffee shops and pass them to friends or colleagues. I've already been sending links to friends via e-mail — but this could get the word out to new circles of people.
I invite others to join me. Maybe we can start a fire!
LikeLike
The more I read Norm, Alex, Ian Reid and Bob Mackin, the more I am convinced that ordinary Joe must be on the verge of rebellion. Then I encounter endless people who are so uninformed, don't read more than facebook and have no clue about 3-Ps IPPs, the Auditor General or fraudulent audits. That is disturbing.
But, more in keeping with Norm's topic here, I reached retirement age and thought I would make out ok on the pensions I would get. That lasted a year and back to work I went. Now I'm 70 and still working and don't see an end in sight because my ICBC, BC Med and Hydro just went up along with the cost of orange juice and noodles.
Not a great legacy for a family who settled on the coast in the mid 1870s.
LikeLike
A methane convention?
I'm sure Christy will be there with her screw-top jars…
LikeLike
Never mind the Canada line, what about the other “free enterprise” erections? A convention centre that cost a billion (that we know of) and sits empty most of the year. A Methane Expo in March, how appropriate. A hole in a roof that cost half a billion (that we know of)and sits empty most of the year. And the ultimate Liberal phalic symbol, the new ice bridge over the Fraser that cost over 3 billion (all together now; THAT WE KNOW OF!)
LikeLike
Ah yes, but we did get a $2.5 billion shiny new rapid transit line/subway a.k.a. the Canada line and didn't Gordo get a lot of photo ops riding the damn thing, pressing the horn button.
Seriously, has anyone tracked the rising MSP payments and school and hospital closures with every rapid transit line built?
It seems every time a Skytrain is built, we pay more in taxes and user fees.
LikeLike